Ralph Lauren quietly shuttered its two-year-old 20,000-square-foot store last week. Other brands are expected to close boutiques in a city that has lost its luster for cash-rich mainland Chinese tourists.

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August 28, 2008

Fashion Surfing

The top 10 most-searched-for fashion brands online during the month of July.

The top 10 most-searched-for fashion brands online during the month of July.

1.
NIKE

The sportswear and footwear retail giant remains in hot demand, even online. The big news out of the Beaverton, Ore.-based retailer is its announcement last week that it will kick off a fifth retail format called Nike Sportswear, “which focuses on eight of its most enduring and recognized apparel and footwear products,” WWD reported. The Nike Web site is available in 14 different languages, and customers can shop by either sport or gender. Customers can design their own shoes within, clothing and equipment to match their style or improve performance within the NikeiD section. An added feature allows shoppers to download music selections chosen by the company through iTunes for their own workouts. There’s also a link to Nike+ that allows individuals to create an online profile documenting their running goals and accomplishments.

2.
GUCCI

Earlier this year, Gucci began featuring a section on its site devoted to the latest Chiodo watch. Users can click onto the interactive area, developed with a structure that enables visitors to browse the pages through different and simplified screen layers and log on to a 360-degree view of the watch, which retails from $940 to $58,800. Gucci.com comes in four different languages and is divided by regions of the world. Shoppers and browsers can view videos of past runway shows or ad campaigns, including an ad with James Franco endorsing its new fragrance, Gucci by Gucci Pour Homme. Gucci launched e-commerce in 2002.

3.
LOUIS VUITTON

Vuitton has been working the celebrity angle with its use of ad imagery: The luxury brand’s Web site features videos of Asian actresses Gong Li, Shu Qi and Joan Chen traveling through the Asian cities of Beijing, Hong Kong and Shanghai decked out in the brand. There is also a link to explore Marrakech with Sofia Coppola, a documentary of Annie Leibovitz’s photo shoot of Keith Richards in England and a video of Moscow narrated by Mikhail Gorbachev. LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton’s e-commerce operation ELuxury launched in 2000, with a mix of brands from LVMH and other companies. In recent years, other LVMH brands have opened their own online stores, including Dior, Thomas Pink, DKNY and Vuitton.

4.
JUICY COUTURE

The economy has done little to slow Juicy Couture (a division of Liz Claiborne Inc.), which continues to perform well, co-founders Gela Nash-Taylor and Pamela Skaist-Levy told WWD in June. Juicy Couture is increasing its retail presence with new locations set to open in Philadelphia; San Diego; Naples, Fla.; Charleston, S.C., and New York, with a flagship on Fifth Avenue. These additions will boost Juicy Couture to some 60 U.S. stores by the end of this year and almost 50 in Asia with its partner, Lane Crawford. The Los Angeles-based brand’s Web site currently features a back-to-school section for the younger set, and the “Charming Couture” section provides accessories (mainly charms) offerings. There is also a section, titled “Dear G & P,” where users can write in for advice on issues such as how to snack without compromising one’s figure.

5.
CHANEL

The nearly 100-year-old fashion brand opened a second boutique in Moscow on June 15, bolstering its presence in the fast-growing Russian market — the 2,800-square-foot store features ready-to-wear, accessories and fragrances. A special space is also dedicated to watches. For those who visit chanel.com, the site is available in 11 languages. When shopping on the Web site, instead of showing stills of clothing, the brand offers runway videos. And for those who own an iPhone, Chanel has a new application that allows shoppers to access fashion shows, new looks, and features on Chanel events and news. Browsers can also find details regarding the “Mobile Art” exhibition the brand is sponsoring in association with architect Zaha Hadid.

6.
POLO RALPH LAUREN

The New York-based brand has been bucking the global economic downturn, “evidenced by a 7.8 percent jump in first-quarter profits and an increase in full-year earnings guidance,” noted WWD earlier this month. The growth was driven by Polo’s own-retail operations and sales at higher profit margins. Total revenues were up 4 percent to $1.11 billion from $1.07 billion. Earlier this month (just in time for the b-t-s shopping season), Polo launched e-commerce on rugby.com with an expansive Web site that marries the lifestyle of the brand with interactive features. The site marks the second standalone e-commerce operation for Polo after ralphlauren.com.

7.
BURBERRY

The English luxury brand was founded in 1856 by Thomas Burberry and today operates 97 retail stores worldwide as well as 245 concessions, 41 outlets and 80 franchised stores. And WWD reported in July that Burberry increased its retail space by 12 percent during the most recent quarter ended June 30, opening two stores in Cannes, France, and Budapest and 14 concessions in South Korea, Italy and Spain. Burberry’s Web site opens with a video ad shot by Mario Testino, featuring British actor Sam Riley and British model Rosie Huntington Whiteley. Another video features an ad for the house’s new perfume, The Beat, with model Agyness Deyn. Additionally, viewers can check out runway shows of past collections by creative director Christopher Bailey on the site, as well. The site is available in four languages.

8.
DIESEL

Diesel, the Italian denim giant founded in 1978, has been opening Diesel Planet flagships in locations such as Tokyo and Hong Kong, along with expanding into footwear, bags, watches, jewelry, fragrances and eyewear. The brand’s Web site goes beyond product details and offerings: There is a link to the Diesel farm in Vicenza, Italy, which was purchased in 1994 by company founder Renzo Rosso — the farm manufactures wine, grappa and olive oil, and the site provides information about each product. The Web site also has a link called “The Cult” with pages to “Diesel: U: Music,” with chances to win the opportunity to perform at Diesel stores and sponsored parties.

9.
ADIDAS

The athletic apparel and footwear brand has been in the spotlight lately thanks to its sponsorships during the Summer Olympics. The German company opened its largest store worldwide in Beijing this summer, and boasted the biggest ad campaign ever for a single market during the Games. As for the company’s Web site, it could actually be considered as three sites wrapped up in one: Adidas Performance, Adidas Originals and Adidas Style. Under “Performance” are several options: When browsers click on a sport like “running,” the site will feature, aside from the company’s running shoes, videos on marathons or upcoming running news. In “Originals,” there are several interactive video advertisements for Adidas apparel. The final section, “Style,” features Y3, the Yohji Yamamoto line for Adidas, (complete with a video of a Y3 fashion show).

10.
GUESS

What began originally as an edgy, Los Angeles-based denim brand in 1981 has evolved into a full-fledged apparel and accessories retailer for men and women — domestically, the brand has approximately 213 retail stores, including outlet stores and Guess Kids stores, 40 stores in Canada and 204 international stores. The focus has been on international expansion, as Guess revealed plans in March to open 245 stores in the current fiscal year, including 185 internationally and 60 in the U.S. The retail expansion comes on top of 184 stores last year. “We strongly believe we have developed brand recognition on every continent,” Paul Marciano, chief executive officer, told WWD. The Web site offers perks for browsers, like shopping for various items featured in a particular magazine, and browsing the brand’s ad campaigns.

WWD's Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide is brought to you by @styleontherise and is complete with the perfect presents for everyone on your list. Click the link in our bio to start shopping NOW. #WWDHoliday #Sponsored

@rebeccaminkoff is bringing self-checkout to high fashion: The brand has partnered with @queuehop to bring its customers self-checkout options, beginning this holiday season at its SoHo store. (📷: @aurorarosephoto)